02-18-2018, 02:46 PM
Ombligo wrote:
By the time I got to the interview stage, I already had a pretty firm grasp on their abilities. At that point I cared more about personality - would they fit in with the staff? So it became a conversation that free flowed to just about anything. Often we would get into anecdotes about job experiences and situations they had faced. It was relaxed and disarming, but their answers to questions that didn't even seem like a question told me more than any formal interview ever could. I also found getting out of the office helped a great deal - wander around, go for coffee or a bite to eat.
People probably have rehearsed answers to a lot of the questions mentioned, and many of them seem likely to elicit careful BS. When I interviewed people for work, which was seldom, it was clear pretty quickly whether someone would be capable and good to have around. In one case, which I still feel bad about, the person felt comfortable enough with me to tell me something about herself personally that made me reluctant to hire her. It was a trait that I shared, and we could not have two bad cops.
When I interviewed potential pet adopters for our rescue group, the key was to talk with people long enough. We had an extra safeguard, which is that we deliver pets to the adopter’s home. And of course there is an application. But getting people comfortable and talking freely was vital. People who want something from you can be pretty deceptive.